White matter damage and systemic inflammation in obstructive sleep apnea
Hsiu-Ling Chen1,2, Cheng-Hsien Lu3,4, Hsin-Ching Lin5,6
1Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Sleep
|October 18, 2014
Summary
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) damages white matter integrity, particularly in vulnerable brain regions. This impairment is linked to increased OSA severity and systemic inflammation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Sleep Medicine
- Immunology
Background:
- Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent condition associated with significant systemic health consequences.
- White matter integrity is crucial for brain function, and its disruption is implicated in various neurological disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate white matter integrity in patients with severe OSA using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).
- To examine the relationship between white matter microstructural changes and systemic inflammation in OSA patients.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study comparing 20 patients with severe OSA and 14 healthy controls.
- Polysomnography for OSA severity, DTI for white matter integrity (FA, AD, RD, MD), and flow cytometry for leukocyte apoptosis.
Main Results:
- Patients with severe OSA showed reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) and increased radial diffusivity (RD) in specific brain areas compared to controls.
- Lower FA values correlated negatively with OSA clinical severity and leukocyte early apoptosis.
Conclusions:
- Severe OSA impairs white matter integrity in susceptible brain regions, with impairment severity linked to disease progression.
- Systemic inflammation, indicated by leukocyte apoptosis, may interact with hypoxic patterns in OSA, contributing to central nervous system microstructural damage.
Keywords:
diffusion tensor imagingleukocyte apoptosismagnetic resonance imagingobstructive sleep apneaoxidative stressMore Related Videos
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